Improvement in hand-stamps



B. B. HILL. Hand-Stamp.

No. 221,731. Patented Nov.18,1879.

7 777 Hardw.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.,

BENJAMIN B. HILL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAND-STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,731, dated November 18, 1879; application tiled May 5, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. HILL, of Springtield, in the State of Massachusetts, have invent-ed a new and useful vImprovement in Hand-Stamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the aecompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to a hand-stam p having impression type-printing Wheels arranged therein, used in connection with an ink-ribbon 5 and it has for its object the convenience of adjusting the inside type-wheels in the desired position to take an impression and the ready examination of the ink-ribbon.

To this end my invention consists of a series of impression or type wheels arranged to revolve upon a hub secured in a stand or case, the inside Wheel being provided with internal indents to receive a stop to hold the wheel in any desired position to print, and having a small Vpinion arranged to revolve in a recess in the hub, with its teeth engaging in the indents, so that by means of a stem extending from the pinion to a point outside the case the inside wheel may/ be readily turned into any desired position to print.

It also consists of a panel arranged to swing on a pivot at theopen end of the case, by means of which the ink-ribbon may be readily examined as to its condition and adjustment when desired, all of ,which will be more fully described.

Figure I is a perspective view of a stamp having my invention applied, and Fig. II is a vertical longitudinal section of the same through the middle or inside wheel.

In the drawings, B represents a stand or case provided with a die, o, upon the upper side of which is made the desired permanent printing matter, and within this case, beneath the die, is ixed, by the two pins o, the hub F, upon which is tted to revolve freely any desired number of Wheels H, having the requisite printin g-characters raised upon the periphery of each, which extend up through an opening in the die o to the same plane as the printing-characters on the die. This hub has a hole made thereim inside each wheel, into which is inserted, lirst, a small coiled spring, and then a stop, l, with its outerend pointed, and the interior of each wheel H, around the hub, is provided with a series of indents, n, equal in number to the series of printing-characters on its periphery, the pointed end ofthe stop l entering' and engaging with these indents as each comes in front of the stop, the latter being pressed back by the turning of the wheel when sufficient force is applied, and pressed outward into the indents by the spring inside. A small toothed wheel or pinion, i', is placed in a recess, c', in the hub F, and is held in place and revolved by a stem, e, inserted therein through.

holes in the case and hub, with a button on its outer end, by which it is revolved, and the teeth of this wheel or pinion c" engage with the indents u on the inside ot' the wheel H, around the hub, so that when the pinion 'i' is revolved the wheel H is turned, but is stopped each time an indent comes in front of the pointed end of the stop l, and is there held until force is applied to turn the pinion again, and each time the wheel H is thus stopped one of the series of printing-characters on its periphery is uppermost in a position to make its impression upon paper placed beneath the pad L.

A series of indicating numbers or characters is stamped on the side of the inner wheel, with a corresponding series of holes made through the outside printing-wheel to indicate to the operator by observing said numbers or characters through said holes, or through one of them) when the inside Wheel is in the desired position to take an impression.

The ink-ribbon A is wound upon a spool, a, having a winch or crank, c, on its outer end, and is passed up over the die o and printingcharacters, and is wound upon a shaft, m, having a ratchet-wheel on ils outer end, and a pawl, n', is pivoted to the lower end of the swinging pad-arm E, so that every time the pad L is struck down upon the die to give an impression the pawl n turns the ratchet and shaft m automatically, winding the ink-ribbon thereon, and unwinding it from the spool a, and passing it along a little above the die.

One end of the oase B is made open, and a panel, G, having the same general shape as the end of the case, is pivoted at c', and may be held up in place against the end of the case, to closeit, by a projection, s, impingingagainst a spring, t, or, when opened outward, may be held open by the same means.

The advantages of this swinging panel C are that, as the ribbon A is automatically' passed along over the die and gradually un- Wound from the spool a in the rapid use of the stamp-such, for example, as in selling railway-tickets-the ribbon might be entirely unwound from the spool a before it should be discovered without the panel; but by opening the latter outward occasionally the operator may readily observe the condition of the inkribbon Without displacing.r the stamp from its position on the table. lf the ribbon already in use in the stamp should become useless or Worn out it may be easily removed and a new one inserted by opening out the panel, as the open space at the end of the stand or case gives ample room for the removal or insertion of an ink-ribbon.

I am awarethat printingqibbon handstamps have heretofore been made and used in which the printing-wheels were secured to a fixed base, and the ribbon-spools were arranged in a case hinged to said base, and having a movement independent thereof, and I do not claim the same, nor any parlthereof; but

What I do claim is- 1. In an improved hand-stamp, the combi nation of the hub F, the pinion i', and the printing-wheel H, provided with the indents u, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a printing-ribbon hand-stamp, the combination of a stationary or fixed case, B, a series of printing wheels, the printing,` ribbon rolls or spools a and m, and a movable panel, C, all substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

BENJAMIN B. HILL.

Witnesses T. A. CURTIS, H. G. HANCOCK. 

